Fifty-4 decades back now in Kingston, Jamaica, the distinctive 4x100m quartet comprising Bonner K. Mends, Ebenezer Charles Oko Addy, James Aryee Addy and Stanley Fabian Allotey received gold for Ghana in grand design and style at the 1966 Commonwealth Game titles.
The younger and energetic Ghanaian athletes established a video games document, and denied hosts, Jamaica, of gold.
Apart the exploits of Ghana’s only golden 4x100m quartet on the global phase, a crucial member of the crew, Allotey, was in the highlight following he snatched gold in the 220 yards in a report of 20.06 secs on the closing day of the function.
Ghana has competed at 16 distinctive Commonwealth Game titles, beginning in 1954 and missing only the 1986 Games in Edinburgh.
Ghana’s medal haul at the multisport occasion stands at 57, together with 15 gold, with all but one particular of these medals coming in athletics.
Ghana’s 1966 achievement story on the tracks are unable to be overemphasized because of the giants the golden quartet were being up towards. The gallant adult men who operate the very first and 3rd legs, Mends and Aryee Addy have unfortunately handed on but Allotey and Oko Addy are still alive, residing in the United States and Ghana respectively.
Allotey has retired from active function following 21 a long time at Crompton Local community University as a Matriculation and Transfer Specialist in the United States but Oko Addy is again dwelling soon after quite a few yrs away in the United States too.
To last but not least get to tell the amazing story, I compensated Oko Addy (nicknamed Daddy Prolonged Legs) a take a look at at his household in Accra. At almost 80, and by yourself these days right after the passing of his spouse, Professor Ewurama Addy of the Countrywide Science and Maths quiz fame, Oko is now occupied with church and says he has “special choir observe sessions” at household.
The big, and still strong legend with broad smiles told me about the results story of a long time back again and at a time a lot of doubted their prowess on the global stage, his narration saved me nodding all by means of. The title Oko Addy are not able to be omitted when the roll contact of Commonwealth gold medalists is stated. I questioned him about his expertise that day In Kingston and he answered as if he had authored a book waiting around to be marketed.
“At the Commonwealth Game titles, it was always concerning Terrific Britain, Australia, Jamaica with Ghana and Nigeria also lurking all over. Regardless of the opportunity, not a lot of people today considered Ghana would earn but we as athletes have been incredibly absolutely sure we could surprise the levels of competition.
“At the elimination stages, Jamaica had the very best qualifying periods and in advance of their home group, they were being really confident they would win the closing quickly for the reason that amid the 6 teams that certified, they looked the strongest. All their four athletes experienced received particular person medals even though Stanley Allotey was the only 1 with a medal on our workforce.”
“At the starter’s gun, they took off with fantastic pace. Bonner Mends started off, I was in 2nd put and that was where by the event was received. I went in advance of all the other competitors and ensured that James Addy had a very good distance to work inside of and retaining our guide. Eventually, Allotey raced against the Jamaican he experienced crushed in that race. It was a limited contest concerning the two and by the time they ended up about 10 meters away from the complete line, it was much too near to contact.”
“Allotey had to restrain himself and stay centered to prevent staying overtaken by Jamaica who did very well to capture up. We concluded with a time of 39.8 seconds although they concluded on 40 seconds with Australia coming 3rd with that very same time.”
“I recall I just screamed and gave my colleagues a huge hug. Sincerely, before then I imagined that time was unattainable but then I commenced to think of what future would come about in the subsequent races. It was unimaginable and I struggled to separate reality from fantasy.”
The feat chalked by Oko Addy and his mates has considering the fact that not be replicated on the international phase – the closest any squad has occur becoming silver in the late 70’s and 80’s. These days at the Commonwealth Video games, Ghana has persistently failed to take care of medals in athletics or quite several in other disciplines.
The Planet Athletics Championships have not supplied any joy as effectively in the last decade and a lot more. To set it in good context, because 1983 when the IAAF Earth Athletics Championships was instituted, Kenya has received 151 medals, South Africa 27, Nigeria 9 and Ghana has just two with none coming in the last 10 many years.
The 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 , 2017 and 2019 Environment Athletic Championships ended with no medals for Ghana, just after their achievement in the Africa Online games (previously All Africa Games), expectations had been rife that the men’s quartet of Sean Safo-Antwi, Benjamin Azamati, Martin Owusu-Antwi, and Joseph Paul Amoah would make the last of the 4x100m relay In Doha very last calendar year, but regrettably for Workforce Ghana, they were pitted versus some of the world’s most effective runners which created it unachievable for them to seize a place in the finals.
Despite the fact that their 38.24 secs complete in heat 2 was an advancement on the time they created to earn gold at the African Game titles.
The country’s very first medal at what was then identified as the British Empire and Commonwealth Online games arrived at the 1958 edition of the game titles through superior jumper Robert Kotei who received bronze with a jump of 2.00m. Kotei later grew to become a soldier and a politician, and was tragically executed in the 1979 June 4 rebellion in Ghana.
Oko Addy seemed unimpressed about the gulf in class at the second involving Jamaica (a state they utilised to conquer) and Ghana now. Of class, Jamaica, these days, generate environment beaters and Ghana on the other hand are having difficulties to get identified in athletics circles worldwide.
“I feel sad that the big prospect that Ghana had has been manufactured to die. In the earlier, Jamaica had a solid presence in athletics but they were being really cautious when they came up in opposition to Ghana. But now, they are way in advance of us for the simple explanation that they tapped the expertise that they have, prepared to be the best in that class and made confident that the points needed had been provided.”
“Things have enhanced and that need to have been to our gain too. Lots of a lot more folks have access to facts on athletics, nutrition has enhanced, and there is technological innovation as perfectly as improved schooling amenities. We do not make very good use of what we have. In reality, scheduling and organization are our bane.”
While we hope directors and authorities unite to improve the current narrative, could we never fail to remember to salute the attempts of the tremendous quartet who placed Ghana on the map with tough work on 13th of August 1966, history’s golden web site.
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